Mr. Chairman, also another issue that has come up in regards to renewable resource council meetings at the Gwich’in assemblies is the amount of gravel that this government puts into the rivers on the Mackenzie and the Peel. I believe the Mackenzie is almost 1,600 cubic metres a year. The Peel is somewhere around 1,200. I think that if you have been doing that for the last 30 years, that is a heck of a lot of gravel that you have put into the river system. The concern is what effect it has on the aquatic life by way of fish spawning areas. The question they are asking is why is Fisheries and Oceans allowing the Government of the Northwest Territories to dispose of gravel into a river system and not saying or doing anything about it? Under the Fisheries Act, anybody, regardless of who you are, who throws anything into a river system or a lake system has to abide by the Fisheries Act. I think for myself I have raised this issue before and I think it’s something that this government has to seriously consider.

In regards to the residents of Fort McPherson, they’ve raised the issue that from eight miles going

south down the Peel to the Mackenzie that there’s more sandbars than they’ve ever seen before and they say it’s in direct correlation between the approaches at the eight-mile ferry landing and it has been having an effect in regards to the flow of the river by restricting the flow of the river by moving the approaches farther and farther out into the river. It’s affecting the downstream by way of these sandbars that are now in places where they’ve never been before. I think that has to be seriously looked at too.

I’d just like to ask the Minister if he would seriously consider looking at those by way of conducting a study of some sort and see if there is a direct correlation between that and the effects that people are seeing on the Mackenzie and the Peel.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. A number of questions there. Mr. Chairman, I think the Member would agree that the rationale for using gravel is as a result of the nature of the landing. The type of soil that’s in that area requires us to use gravel to stabilize the landings. There was a study done in 2001 that looked at the situation and it deemed that the process was adequate. The approaches continue to be utilized because, first of all, it’s cost effective.

Mr. Chairman, we also operate under a water licence that has strict criteria to follow and we are meeting the guidelines.

Mr. Chairman, I also believe that I had responded to the Member at a different opportunity, during question period, to make the commitment that the department would look at the situation this summer as we move forward, and look at the types of options that could be incorporated for this landing. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Colleagues, we’re on page 11-25, activity summary, marine, operations expenditure. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister tell me when their water licence is up so that maybe we can intervene by way of the application?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Chairman, I don’t believe I have that information in front of me. I’d have to commit to provide it to the Member.

Mr. Chair, the residents I represent feel this is a concern and I think if it means having to file an intervention and a public hearing on this matter, I think that might be the way we should go. But I think that the government should seriously

consider looking at some sort of permanent structures so you don’t have to continue to put gravel into the river systems -- you have permanent structures in regard to Fort Providence -- and also that you are able to look at other means of technology that’s out there today. So I’d just like to know, is that an option that has been considered.

Again, if the Minister could get back to me in regards to when that licence is going to be up for renewal, so that they can consider a possible public hearing by way of a regulatory review of this issue.

The process for a water licence is open for Members or individuals or the general public to intervene. It’s issued by the Gwich’in Water Board. My understanding is it’s for 10 years, I just don’t have an expiry date.

Mr. Chairman, I commit before and I’ll commit again, we’ll look at the different options. Right now we do not have a solution other than providing or using gravel as a stabilizer for that landing. There may be other things. We are not aware of it. We’ll do as the Member’s requested and look at the different options.

The method that Fort Providence is using for a ramp is not something that we are convinced is a solution. The water levels are too volatile, but there may be other things that we can come up with that will not require us to use as much gravel. Thank you.

I think the perfect solution would be a bridge.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I didn’t hear a question there, unless the Minister would like to offer any remarks.

Mr. Chairman, the Member is correct. Any time we have a river crossing or a stream crossing, the perfect solution is a bridge.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Colleagues, we’re on page 11-25, activity summary, marine, operations expenditure summary, $7.928 million. Agreed?

Page 11-26, information item, marine, active positions. Mr. Krutko.

Again I’d just like a breakdown by way of P1s, P2s, P3s, and I’d like to note that there has been one position dropped in the Inuvik region and I’d like to know what’s the status of that individual, who comes from my riding, and is he

going to receive any severance or competition. This person worked for the government I believe for over 25 years. So I’d just like to know what type of arrangement has been worked out with this individual who has been fired, in another sense of the word.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Colleagues, we’re on page 11-26, information item, marine, active positions. Agreed?

Page 11-29, activity summary, community marine infrastructure, operations expenditure summary, $11,000.

Page 11-30, activity summary, community marine infrastructure, grants and contributions, contributions. Any questions? Mr. Krutko.

The Minister mentioned that there’s a possibility of getting federal dollars for marine operations. Is there any idea of how much money we’re talking about from the federal government?